Scene Around

This is upbeat...

Why are you wasting time reading this column? It's "Black Friday"! The day after Thanksgiving! Bargains await!

Go! Spend money! Be happy!

This is definitely NOT upbeat...

Five people were murdered and seven people wounded in Israel recently, after two Arab terrorists entered the Kehillat Bnai Torah Yeshiva Synagogue on Agassi Street during Shacharit (morning) prayers in Jerusalem's religious Har Nof neighborhood bearing guns, axes, and knives.

The terrorists, shouting "Allahu Akhbar," began attacking worshippers, stabbing them, before opening fire. They were from East Jerusalem. (Hamas ruled Gaza? Probably.)

The fact is Israelis and Gazans can live in peace... but not under Hamas' rule. Why not?

(If you ask that question, you have no knowledge of the Hamas Charter!)

The charter states that Islam must dominate. For instance, Article Six: "The Islamic Resistance Movement is a distinguished Palestinian movement, whose allegiance is to Allah, and whose way of life is Islam. It strives to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine."

(You just know that means Israel as well.)

Article Seven: "The day of judgment will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews) when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say 'O Moslems, O Abdullah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.'"

The slogan of the Islamic Resistance Movement is contained in Article Eight: "Allah is its target, the Prophet is its model, the Koran its constitution: Jihad is its path and death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of its wishes."

(The United Nations is stressing negotiations?)

According to Article Thirteen: "Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement. There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors."

If you would like to read the entire Hamas Charter go online to HamasCharter.com. I recommend you do, as I don't know how accurate my statements are.

The founding documents of Fatah, the PLO, and Hezbollah also declare that their mission is the destruction of Israel. These goals and activities not only endanger Israel, but they are also an assault on the human rights and democratic values of the Western world.

(The above information comes directly from StandWithUs, an organization based in Los Angeles, CA. Info@standwithus.com. Again, I repeat, check it out for yourself for accuracy.)

On a much happier note...

The Congregation Ohev Shalom Seniors invite everyone to a wonderful Sunday afternoon on Dec. 7.

The entertainment begins at 2 p.m. sharp in the COS ballroom, 613 Concourse Parkway South, Maitland. Refreshments will be served after the entertainment, as usual.

The star performer is Ginger! She is a beautiful and talented gal, one you won't want to miss.

Ginger! has entertained for many years in and around Central Florida. Her collection of music enables her to appeal to audiences of varied ages and backgrounds, as her repertoire spans over seven decades and includes oldies, disco, country, rock and roll, blues and Broadway.

(Thank goodness there is no Rap!)

People have remarked about her: "She's not just a singer, she's an entertainer... she's also a songwriter."

COS Seniors president, BERNY RAFF, says "Get ready to listen, dance and romance to the versatile talent and vocal styles of Ginger!"

(Romance? Are you kidding? Irv and I are married for more than 54 years. What is romance anyway? I forget.)

The cost of the afternoon is still only $5 for COS Senior members; $8 for all others.

Again, Berny encourages you to bring your friends and reminds you of the three raffles you can take part in. For any questions or suggestions, you can phone him at 407-767-6763

For directions, you can phone COS at 407-298-4650.

(I hope to see you there.)

More about music...

This is a reminder about the next Altamonte Chapel jazz performance coming up on Sunday, Nov. 30. Starting at 2:30 p.m. ALAN ROCK, emcee, presents DAVID MACKENZIE, and fellow musicians, WALT HUBBARD on drums, CHRIS ROTTMAYER on keys and CHUCK ARCHARD on bass.

The Altamonte Chapel is located at 825 East S.R. 436 in Altamonte Springs. The phone number is 407-339-5208. (Call for directions if needed and ticket information.)

And you want more of the best of entertainment?...

I recently heard from the lovely DONNA FIEGEL, public relations director of Truemarketing, presenters of theatre, rock, and unlimited entertainment.

Donna's email passed on to you:

"Below are all the shows upcoming for the Broadway season at the Dr. Phillips Center.

Right now we have "Phantom" and "Book of Mormon" on sales. "Newsies" goes on sale Friday (today). Tickets can be purchased at www.DrPhillipsCenter.org, by calling 844-513-2014 or at the Dr. Phillips Center box office, South Magnolia Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA: DEC. 3-14, 2014

THE BOOK OF MORMON: DEC. 26, 2014 – JAN. 4, 2015

Disney's NEWSIES: JAN. 27 – FEB. 1, 2015

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL: MARCH 10 – 15, 2015

PIPPIN: APRIL 21 – 26, 2015

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: MAY 12 – 17, 2015

ANYTHING GOES: MAY 26 – 31, 2015

I LOVE LUCY LIVE ON STAGE: JUNE 23 – 28, 2015

(Go and enjoy! I guarantee you will!)

A most deserving shout-out...

Having a romantic (?) dinner out with my spouse at the Olive Garden Restaurant, 17-92 in Winter Park, recently, we were lucky to have the absolute best waiter ever. His name is MALIK PRIEST, which is a serious name for such a fun guy.

Besides the always wonderful food at Olive Garden, Malik was perfect in every way... his personality and his performance as a server.

He made our evening super special ... which is saying a lot for such an old (not really) couple.

One for the road...

Speaking of romance made me think of this joke I told once before but it is worth repeating:

Henry goes to the doctor's surgery to collect his wife Sarah's test results.

The receptionist tells him, "I'm sorry, but there has been a bit of a mix-up. When we sent your wife's samples to the lab, they got mixed up with samples from another Mrs. Cohen and we don't know which one is your wife's. The bottom line is that the situation is either bad or terrible."

"What do you mean?" says Henry.

"Well," says the receptionist, "one Mrs. Cohen has tested positive for Alzheimer disease and the other for AIDS. We can't tell which is which."

"That's terrible," says Henry, "can you do the test again?"

"Normally, yes. But your private medical insurance policy won't pay for these expensive tests more than once."

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" says Henry.

The receptionist replies, "The doctor recommends that you drop your wife off in the middle of Oxford Street. If she finds her way home, don't sleep with her."